Welcome to New Salem

In the wake of the Sandy Hook school shooting, yet more rudderless speculators have seized upon the opportunity to blame violent videogames, because that'll always be easier than trying to solve actual problems. So it is that one town's offering to physically destroy the things.

Polygon reports that SouthingtonSOS, a group dedicated to organizing help during times of crisis, has planned the destructive spectacle for January 12. Children are being invited to bring their games to the symbolic execution, where they can be exchanged for local restaurant coupons. Carelessly pass the buck for dangerous crimes, and get some free chicken strips out of it. What scamp could resist!?

"The group's action is not intended to be construed as statement declaring that violent video games were the cause of the shocking violence in Newtown on December 14th," said the group, before contradicting itself. "Rather, SouthingtonSOS is saying is that there is ample evidence that violent video games, along with violent media of all kinds, including TV and Movies portraying story after story showing a continuous stream of violence and killing, has contributed to increasing aggressiveness, fear, anxiety and is desensitizing our children to acts of violence including bullying.

"Social and political commentators, as well as elected officials including the president, are attributing violent crime to many factors including inadequate gun control laws, a culture of violence and a recreational culture of violence."

Once again, there was no mention of the news media, or other forms of grief pornography, that go beyond what games and movies to in order to portray story after story revolving around real violent crimes, and glorifying real violent criminals. Something tells me, if I showed up with some FOX News and CNN tapes, SouthingtonSOS wouldn't be snapping those in two and tossing them in a big pile destined for the furnace. 

And what kind of message is this sending to kids, anyway? If you don't like something, your first action should be to destroy it? Wonderful message, that. Let's not encourage creativity, or work together to build something in the aftermath of a tragedy. Let's break shit. Let's burn stuff. The answer to destruction is more destruction, obviously. AMERICA, BITCHES!

But no, these guys are probably right. Maybe videogames actually have malevolent hexes woven into their code, and when we finally destroy the last one, the curse shall be lifted and schizophrenia will suddenly be cured, while guns turn to dust and crumble in the hands of anybody not using them to kill terrorists (because guns are smart like that). 

Fucking dicks. 

Connecticut town holds drive to collect and destroy violent video games [Polygon] [Image]